Eclectic gathers for candidate forum

Eclectic residents and candidates were passionate about their needs and calling at Thursday’s Candidate Meet and Greet.

The event organized by retiring Mayor Gary Davenport saw every Eclectic municipal candidate for mayor and town council but one addressed more than four dozen community members at the forum. Everyone shared their vision for Eclectic while maintaining its small town charm and addressing issues such as an aging drinking water system.

The only incumbent seeking reelection and unopposed is Eclectic Town Council Place 1 representative Jackie Stearns. She challenged those running for office to continue coming to council meetings and to be involved in discussions about Eclectic’s future.

“We have done a lot in the last eight years,” Stearns said. “Our town is improving and we want it to continue. I look forward to working with all of you, whether you're elected or not.” 

Mayoral candidate Stephanie Stepney currently serves as the Eclectic Town Council Place 2 representative. She wants to see the work Davenport and the current council has been carrying out for the last nine years continue, especially after Davenport’s decision not to seek reelection.

“I said, ‘You know what? It's going to be one of us council members that are currently here,’” Stepney told the crowd at the Eclectic Warehouse. “Ultimately, I guess it's me.”

All of the candidates understand some of the issues facing the town, especially when it comes to water. Newcomers and some in the crowd felt the town had not addressed the issue in a timely manner.

Mayoral candidate Guy Sanders is seeking his first political office. He’s a business and property owner in downtown Eclectic and beyond. He liked the impression Eclectic left on him decades ago.

“There’s just a lot of history in this town,” Sanders said. “I can remember a time in this town as a boy, when there wasn't a single building in town being empty. They all had some type of business in it. It wasn't uncommon to see senior adults sitting on park benches around town, foot traffic off and up and down around streets and around town. I think we can do that again.”

Sanders said he doesn’t want to see businesses moving out of downtown.

“I want to see downtown revived,” Sanders said. “I want to see every building occupied.”

Sanders understands water is a big issue in Eclectic, especially since most of the pipe is more than 50 years old. He said every time homes are added to the system, the pressure is turned up so everyone has adequate pressure. But the increased pressure finds the system’s weaknesses and creates leaks and breaks that must be repaired.

Incumbent councilmembers were challenged why grants for water had not been sought like those for the sewer system. They said the mayor is the utilities superintendent and is in charge of setting the agenda for the council. So far most of the grant applications have come from sewer and there has been no significant apportion brought to the council for approval. 

Contractors responsible for the town’s sewer system noted they brought grant opportunities to the mayor and ultimately to the council for approval. Most recently it was a $440,000 grant to expand waste water treatment.

The sewer system has been operated by the town since 1997. Prior to that the Elmore County Board of Education owned the lagoons for treatment of sewage from Eclectic schools. When the town took them over, the lagoons needed renovating and to have sludge removed from them.

Now the treated wastewater is sprayed onto fields where more spray nozzles are soon needed. 

Philip Wellman is a candidate for mayor. He noted some of the issues the others did but didn’t want to see the town forcing itself on property owners.

“Those downtown property owners should be cleaning it themselves,” Wellman said. “They own it and should be responsible for it. I don’t think the town should be involved in it.”

Some residents want to see sidewalks repaired or constructed. Almost all of the candidates said those were a priority. But it was split as to the timing of sidewalk projects. Some candidates wanted to see a plan for the water system first as the placement of pipe might disrupt newly constructed sidewalks.

A resident asked those seeking a seat on the council or for mayor for the first time how many council meetings they have attended in the last six months.

“I’ve attended two meetings,” Eclectic Town Council Place 2 candidate Daren Davis said.

He and others noted other responsibilities such as work, church and family for not attending. Others said they watched the meetings on Facebook live.

Council Place 2 candidate Jason Stepney said he had been attending council meetings regularly for the last six months but also learned a lot about what was going on from his wife Stephanie Stepney who currently holds the position.

Davenport said he hoped residents got to know the candidates a little better at the meet and greet.

“I hoped they got something out of it,” Davenport said. “I believe it was structured in such a way that each candidate got to share their thoughts on the future of Eclectic and answer questions residents are concerned about.”

Other candidates at the meet and greet were Council Place 3 candidates George Lindsay Mothershed, incumbent, and Wanda Estes; Council Place 4 candidates Claudia O’Connell and Colby Bellew; and Council Place 5 candidates David Goodwin, incumbent, and Tammie Willis.